WKST-FM
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| City | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
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| Broadcast area | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Branding | 96.1 KISS |
| Slogan | Pittsburgh's #1 Hit Music Station |
| Frequency | 96.1 MHz (also on HD Radio) 96.1 HD-2 Pride Radio |
| First air date | August 8, 1960 (as WCAE-FM) |
| Format | Top 40 (CHR) |
| ERP | 10,000 watts |
| HAAT | 159 meters |
| Class | B |
| Facility ID | 65678 |
| Callsign meaning | KISS (The T substitutes for the second S) |
| Former callsigns | 1999-2000: WPHH 1998-1999: WDRV 1991-1998: WVTY 1983-1991: WHTX 1977-1983: WXKX 1966-1977: WTAE-FM 1961-1966: WRYT-FM 1960-1961: WCAE-FM |
| Owner |
iHeartMedia, Inc. (Capstar TX LLC) |
| Sister stations | WBGG, WDVE, WPGB, WWSW-FM, WXDX-FM |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | 961kiss.com |
WKST-FM (96.1 FM) - branded as 96.1 KISS - is a Top 40 (CHR) outlet based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., the station broadcasts at 96.1 MHz, with an ERP of 44 kW. Its transmitter is located in Baldwin.
The station originally signed on as WCAE-FM, co-owned with WCAE (AM) and WTAE-TV, and had a MOR format until 1976, when it simulcast WTAE (AM) during the day and played disco at night, known as "Disco 96." As disco began to wane in popularity, the station flipped to a rock-leaning top 40 format as WXKX (96KX or "96 Kicks"). 96KX thrived for the next five years and ranked as the frequency's most highly rated format for three decades. On March 25, 1983, faced with new competition from WBZZ (B-94), the station changed format and call letters, and became WHTX, also known as "Hit Radio 96". This station evolved, in the latter part of the decade, into a gold-based adult contemporary format under the name of "Gold 96".
On June 26, 1991, it switched calls to WVTY ("Variety 96") and format to an adult top 40 approach, which in turn would lead to a Modern AC format ("The River") on November 26, 1997. New call letters WDRV would follow on February 27, 1998. After it was sold, on February 12, 1999, at 5 p.m., WDRV returned to adult top 40, this time as WPHH ("Mix 96.1"). On September 29, 2000, at 5 PM, they switched to the current format and became the current WKST-FM, "96.1 Kiss". During its first four years, WKST waged a battle with WBZZ from 2000 to 2004 by countering WBZZ's conventional Top 40/CHR approach with WKST's Rhythmic flavor. In 2007, the rivalry resumed again when CBS revived "B94" and used the same conventional direction by going after the same 18-34 audience that WKST has managed to cater. However, B94 still could not compete with WKST-FM, and would switch formats again, this time to sports talk in 2010.
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